The reason my sister and I had looked slightly confused was simple. According to the Martial Alliance soldier, Elder Zhuge Hu, the interior of this cave was supposed to be illuminated by light pouring down from above, filled with strange and vibrant plants—essentially, a paradise beyond the ordinary world.
He had described it as otherworldly and full of wonders, but what we saw was far from his account.
The light pouring down from a circular opening high above was there, creating a spotlight effect that brightly illuminated the center of the cavern. However, the rest of the cave was filled with withered, dead plants, and even the surviving vegetation in the center seemed lifeless and drained of vitality.
“This doesn’t quite match what the soldier described, but let’s proceed carefully and investigate,” I said.
“Yes, So-ryong,” my sister replied, nodding.
For her, the environment wasn’t the main concern anyway. She was here to verify the sighting of the blue lizard.
Cautiously, we advanced toward the center of the cave where the lizard had supposedly been spotted, with the Peng Clan head leading the way.
According to the soldier’s report, the lizard had charged at him unexpectedly. While the soldier seemed like an administrative type, my father-in-law had mentioned his skills were comparable to his own, meaning he was no amateur. Even he had been taken aback, so we needed to proceed with utmost caution.
“There, that rock formation shaped like the Chinese character for ‘person’—is that it?” the Peng Clan head asked, pointing ahead.
“Yes, Clan Head.”
As we moved closer to the rock formation, an ominous sound suddenly filled the air.
The Peng Clan head unsheathed his large blade with a metallic shrring, taking a defensive stance. Per my earlier request, he held the blade flat to avoid harming the lizard.
“There’s definitely something here. The soldier did say to tread carefully, right?”
“Yes, Elder.”
“Understood. Stay close behind me, and everyone else, stay alert.”
“Yes, Clan Head!”
“Yes, sir!”
We adjusted our formation, resembling a snake in how we moved single file toward the rocks ahead.
‘Feisty little thing, aren’t you?’
My heart began to race, not with fear but with excitement.
Lizards generally fell into two behavioral categories: timid ones that avoided all other creatures and aggressive ones like this, which issued warnings before attacking.
For keeping as pets, the timid ones were easier to manage and care for, but the aggressive ones had their own charm.
There’s a certain allure to creatures that remain aloof and indifferent while showing defiance. Just like how people love cats for their arrogant and detached demeanor, the same principle applied here.
When we finally reached the edge of the dome-shaped rock formation, two gleaming eyes stared back at us from the shadows beneath it.
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Its body was about one cheok (30 centimeters) in length, with striking yellow eyes, a brilliant blue body reminiscent of a clear sky, and a white stripe running from its head to the tip of its tail.
And the pièce de résistance—a plump, rounded tail that swayed above its head like a hypnotic charm.
‘This is insane! It’s practically a fat-tailed gecko!’
Though larger than typical geckos, the creature matched the classic appearance of a fat-tailed gecko.
While there’s a common misconception that geckos are wall-climbing lizards, they’re simply a group of lizards distinguished by certain traits. The name “gecko” itself originates from the sound they make, resembling the word “gecko.”
Admiring its elegant form, I heard my sister’s voice echo my thoughts.
“What a beautifully colored blue byeokho,” she said, marveling at the creature.
‘Byeokho? A tiger that climbs walls? I guess that’s what they call geckos here,’ I thought, nodding in agreement.
“Yes, it looks like a Bimisaekcheok—a fat-tailed lizard. It’s truly stunning.”
“Bimisaekcheok? Oh, that means a lizard with a fat tail, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.
My sister, who had already shown interest in the O-gong centipedes we raised together, seemed equally captivated by this gecko.
As we observed from a safe distance, maintaining caution, the Peng Clan head suddenly pointed out something shocking.
“Hmm? There’s another one further inside.”
“There’s another one!?”
One plus one. Two geckos.
This could mean they were a mating pair.
Excited, I immediately focused my internal energy to enhance my eyesight, a skill I had recently learned.
‘Channel energy to the eyes...’
As I increased my anryeok (eye power), my vision sharpened, and a faint shape emerged in the shadows behind the aggressive gecko.
“It’s just lying there?”
My sister’s voice broke my concentration, and I realized she had noticed it before I did.
Unlike the first gecko, the second one was lying completely still, its eyes closed. The poor lighting in the shaded area made it hard to see, but its duller coloration suggested it was either exhausted or unwell.
I tapped the Peng Clan head’s shoulder and said, “Clan Head, let’s retreat for now.”
“Retreat? Why not capture it now?”
“We can’t capture them yet.”
“Why not?”
He looked confused, clearly not understanding my hesitation.
But capturing them immediately would be a mistake. I wasn’t here to collect specimens; I intended to raise them. Without knowing their diet or basic habits, bringing them back now would only risk their survival.
If I had prior knowledge of their care, it would be a different story. But when dealing with unfamiliar species, observing their environment and behaviors before capture was essential.
“I want to raise these creatures, but if we catch them now, we won’t know what they eat or what kind of habitat they need. If we guess wrong, they could die quickly.”
“Can’t you just try feeding them different things?”
“No, creatures like this are delicate. The wrong diet can kill them immediately.”
“Tch, such high-maintenance little things. Fine, we’ll pull back for now,” he said reluctantly.
As we slowly retreated, the aggressive gecko, sensing less threat, lowered its body and began licking the other one behind it.
***
-Tap. Tap.
The savory aroma of jerky grilling over the fire wafted up, teasing my nose.
Then came my sister’s voice from below.
“So-ryong, come down and eat.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied.
I had been perched on a protruding rock ledge, observing Bing and Seol, the two lizards, but I quickly jumped down to the ground.
As I descended, Gu Pae, the unit leader, began climbing up in my place. We passed each other midway, and I entrusted him with the task.
“Gu Pae Daeju, I’ll leave this to you. Please let me know if anything happens.”
“Of course! You can count on me!”
We alternated shifts to monitor the two lizards, Bing and Seol, whose behaviors I’d been observing. Now, it was my turn for a meal break.
Sliding down the slanted rock face, I reached the ground where my sister handed me a bowl of soup with boiled dried rice cakes and a skewer of grilled jerky.
“Here you go, So-ryong.”
Perched on her shoulder were the three O-gong centipedes, their antennae waving eagerly in greeting.
‘Is this what it feels like to be greeted by your wife and kids after work?’
For a brief moment, I was lost in the image of the O-gongs resembling daughters and my sister standing there like a welcoming wife. Snapping out of my thoughts, I quickly took the food she offered.
“Thank you, ma’am. I’ll eat well.”
This was our humble dinner.
I wasn’t well-versed in martial arts traditions, but I’d heard of Byeokkokdan—a pill said to sustain warriors during long journeys. When I asked about it, my sister clarified that it was mostly used by Taoist monks in seclusion. For most people, simple fare like dried rice cakes and jerky was the norm.
The jerky was grilled over the fire, while the rice cakes were boiled in water inside a ceramic pot. Sometimes, everything was tossed together and cooked as a stew.
“How’s it going? Any progress today?”
As I sat beside the Peng Clan head, who was already chewing on a piece of jerky, he turned to me and asked about the lizards.
“They haven’t moved at all.”
“When I stayed up for two nights straight watching them, they didn’t budge from that spot either.”
“Living things need to eat. It’s strange.”
“Indeed,” he said, shaking his head.
At night, the Peng Clan head, with his superior vision, observed the lizards, while I took over during the day. It had been three days of this, and neither lizard had left the shaded rock.
Lizards, especially fat-tailed geckos like these, could go days without eating. Their plump tails stored energy, allowing them to survive for weeks or even a month without food.
But normally, when they’re healthy, they eat daily or at least every other day. The fact that they hadn’t eaten anything yet was concerning, especially since the lizard lying still in the back seemed unwell.
‘If it’s sick, this isn’t good...’
“What’s on your mind, So-ryong?”
My sister’s voice interrupted my thoughts. I chewed on a piece of jerky and answered, “I’m worried about the one that hasn’t been moving.”
“Ah...”
After answering her, I fell silent, debating what to do. Should I wait longer or take action?
The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like waiting wasn’t an option. A realization dawned on me—the aggressive behavior of the front lizard might not just be territorial.
What if it was protecting the sick one?
The soldier had said the lizards would charge at anyone who approached the rock. But now, one lizard stood guard while the other remained motionless in the shadows. If the one in the back was unwell, this behavior made sense.
I decided. I needed to check the condition of the still lizard.
“I think we should examine the one that hasn’t been moving,” I said.
“Examine it? Are you saying we should catch it?”
“Not yet. Catching it immediately might make them more defensive, but I need to see if it’s sick. If we provoke them a bit, they might feel hungry enough to eat afterward. Peng Clan Head, could you help by luring one of them away for a moment?”
The Peng Clan head stretched his arms with a grin.
“Ah, I’ve been itching for some action anyway. Let’s see how tough this little creature really is. Haha!”